Michael Brissenden presents AM Monday to Friday from 8:00am on ABC Local Radio and 7:10am on Radio National. Join Elizabeth Jackson for the Saturday edition at 8am on Local Radio and 7am on Radio National.

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Friday 19 April 2002

AM is Australia's most informative morning current affairs. It covers the stories each morning that the other current affairs teams follow for the rest of the day. Below is the program summary with links to transcripts and audio (if available).

Rugby world cup feud

Australia was overnight awarded sole host rights to next year's Rugby World Cup. It's the culmination of bitter debate about New Zealand's refusal to provide clean stadiums free of advertising and with empty corporate boxes for cup fixtures with New Zealand saying that such a pledge would breach existing contracts for the stadiums but New Zealand says the decision is really about money, that quite simply Australia can pull bigger dollars for the Rugby Board.

Police heads meet

The untimely departure of Peter Ryan from the position of New South Wales Police Commissioner has given top police from around the nation something to think about as they've met behind closed doors in Adelaide during the past few days. The head of the Australian Federal Police, Commissioner Mick Keelty, underscored the need for independence for police from political interference.

Jenin massacre uncovering

As more information comes out of the cities of Jenin and Nablus on the West Bank, it's becoming clear that Israel will have to answer allegations that it's committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during its occupation of the West Bank.

Aust man accused of al-Qaeda training

From Sydney family man to accused terrorist and to Canberra's chagrin it's taken months for official notification from US authorities about the arrest of Mamdouh Habib in Pakistan last October, about his transfer to the custody of Egyptian police and onto Cairo and then to US custody at Bahgram airbase, north of Kabul.

Our man in Kabul

Abdul Khaliq Fazal has lived in Melbourne for the last 25 years and in December last year, he was appointed Minister for Public Works in the UN sponsored administration in Afghanistan. He is key to arguably the world's biggest reconstruction project but for all the recognition he's received from political leaders, there is widespread disquiet over his appointment within Australia's Afghan community.

Echos of New York in Milan air crash

The ghosts of September 11 have been haunting Milan. The people of the northern Italian city were shocked by images frightening similar to the New York World Trade Centre horror when a small plane crashed into Milan's landmark Pirelli tower killing three people and injuring dozens more.

Prison bashing to be taken to Attorney-General

A Victorian prisoner allegedly bashed at one of the State's private prisons two months ago has taken the unusual step of applying for a restraining order against the prison Governor. That application was denied at a court hearing yesterday but the magistrate has advised the prisoner to take his case to the State's Attorney-General.

Edmund Barton's home up for auction

A piece of national treasure is to go to auction next month. It's the home of Australia's first Prime Minister, Sir Edmund Barton, once a gentleman's residence, now apparently just another neglected Victorian house in the northern Sydney suburb of Balgowlah. Still, it's expected to fetch more than $1.5 million but a row is brewing over its fate because if developers get their way, it will be subdivided.